Joho wanted to be ‘king of Coast governors’, says Mvurya

Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya addresses Kinondo residents on January 30, 2017. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Mvurya claimed the Mombasa Governor tried to make himself “king of all other Coast governors”.
  • The governor said that it was unfortunate that Mr Joho tried to interfere with the affairs of Kwale County when he did not come from there.
  • He cautioned those seeking to unseat him in August elections that leadership is a serious commitment.

Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya and his deputy Fatma Achani have for the first time revealed what they say is the reason they fell out with Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

Mr Mvurya said his differences with his Mombasa counterpart, with whom they do not see eye to eye, begun some three years ago when the Mombasa Governor tried to make himself “king of all other Coast governors”.

“Governor Joho wanted people who can kneel before him. He wanted to rule from Vanga in the south to Kiunga in the north so that all the five governors can be under him. I said no because I am a governor like him elected by the people of Kwale, just like he was elected by the people of Mombasa,” he said.

The governor said that it was unfortunate that Mr Joho tried to interfere with the affairs of Kwale County when he did not come from there.

“Governor Joho is a person of propaganda and empty talk but the people of Kwale need projects of development,” he said.

His deputy, Ms Achani, claimed that Mr Joho, through ODM leaders in Kwale, started a malicious campaign to discredit Mr Mvurya’s administration and good track record.

STOP TRIBALISM

Mr Mvurya urged his opponents in the governor’s race to stop preaching hatred by diving the residents on tribal or ethnic lines.

“If you claim that this is a Duruma, a Digo, a Kamba or this and that tribe, you are not being a leader because Kwale County has all tribes. Politics of tribalism is old fashioned and no development will come from such leadership,” he said.

He said his opponents had been in government for many years without bringing any tangible development but for four years “we have managed to bring major transformation that everyone can see”.

He said the 100 per cent scholarship programme was the only one of its kind in the 47 counties and pledged to work towards better education and health.

“We made a pledge during our campaigns in 2013 that we would pay fees for all students from Kwale who joined national schools. We have fulfilled that pledge,” Mr Mvurya said.

He cautioned those seeking to unseat him in August elections that leadership “is not the same as being co-wives” but a serious commitment to change the lives of the residents.

“Ugavana sio uke wenza. Hii ni kazi muhimu ya maana ambayo haitimizwi kwa mtu kuwa kabila hii ama kabila ile.” (Being the governor is not like being co-wives. This is a serious commitment that is not achieved because one comes from this tribe or the other,” he said.